Les Mis
by Jodie1
Summary: Qui-Gon gose to Mos Espa and sees somene that sparks memoery
1. Default Chapter

Title: Les Mis (The Miserables)  
  
Person responsible: Jodie (Padawan of the Anonymous Torture Fic Writer)  
  
Summery: What if Qui-Gon hadn't taken Obi-Wan as his padawan all those years ago? Set during TPM, Qui-Gon goes to Mos Espa to find spare parts, but finds someone he didn't expect to.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: None, if any, very minor.  
  
Warnings: Character angst, beating, torture, and/or death. (I know, I have a problem!)  
  
Declaimer: yada yada, Gorge Lucas bla bla I don't own Obi or any of the other charters. (Sniff, need hankie) The Title is from a novel by Victor Hugo. The title is the only reference from the novel, but I thought the title fitting.  
  
Chapter One: The Slave  
  
"I need parts for a J-type 3-2-7 Nubian." Qui-Gon answered the blue, flying junk dealer.  
  
"Ah yes, Nubian. We have lots of that." The gruff voice answered. He yelled something over his shoulder, and a small boy came in. Watto scolded him and took the Jedi out to the sandy yard.  
  
"Are you an Angel?" An unexpected said after the Jedi and Toydarian left.  
  
"What?" The handmaiden asked.  
  
"An Angel." (Can't you just feel the chemistry?!)  
  
~*~  
  
"A T-14 hyperdrive generator? You're in luck, I'm the only one here-abouts who has one" The Toydarian said, "But you might as well buy a new ship. It would be cheaper I think." He tittered faintly, " Saying which, hows you gonna pay for all this?" Watto asked tightly.  
  
"I have 20,000 Republic credits." Qui-Gon answered.  
  
"Republic credits? Republic credits are no good out here I need something more real." Watto scrunch a fist make a point.  
  
"I don't have anything else," Qui-Gon raised his hand, "but credits will do fine."  
  
"No they won't." The stubbren creature said.  
  
"Credits will do fine." Qui-Gon tried again, confused about the creature's mind, the trick should have worked.  
  
"No, they won't. What do think you're some kind of Jedi, waving you're hand around like that?-"  
  
Suddenly there was a small crash, Watto told the Jedi stay there and flew off behind some piles of medal.  
  
There was gruff shouting in the planets native dialect, and Qui-Gon turned to look at what was happening.  
  
He saw Watto reprimanding a young man. He had apparently been taken aback by something and dropped what he was working on, it breaking on the impacted of the ground.  
  
He was young, in his early or mid twenties. His hair was a ginger color and shaggy, he wore a roughly spun tunic, and his eyes...a bluely green color. The Jedi Master knew them.  
  
After a final, and callous excoriate Watto flew back and apologized slightly to Qui-Gon and the young human in the background began to pick up the pieces of the ruined contraption. Qui-Gon then noticed for the first time and row of shiny dots on the other human's face, there where four or five of them, they were small, like a line of birthmarks. But they were too erect for that and they were made of some sort of alloy, almost like a strait line of dots medal on his face.  
  
"Dose that slave interest you?" the junk dealer asked, "I would offer him to you, but I don't think you're in the position to buy right now." He laughed ambiguously.  
  
"What is his name?" Qui-Gon asked snubbing the blue flyer's analysis.  
  
"Obi-Wan." Came the gruff reply.  
  
TBC  
  
Evil Cliffy! There will be more of them, get used to it!  
  
~ Laughs wickedly ~ 


	2. Chapter Two

Very sorry for the long wait and short beginning, but with school and other fics it's been rather hectic.  
  
Some reviews can be so demanding!! I shall mention no names.........  
  
Chapter Two:  
  
Obi-Wan?!  
  
I couldn't be. It couldn't  
  
But the young man across the junkyard features and age would be right. He appeared to be in his early twenties, his hair was a ginger color, still short, but shaggy. His eyes were a blue-green color, and intense was their gaze on what they fell on. He wore a roughly spun tunic that fitted loosely on his frame, obviously to stand up to the planet's harsh weather. The sleeves were closed at the wrists with bindings to keep out sand.  
  
The only thing that seemed to be out of place was the small row of little spikes on his face. They were made of some form of alloy, were they from an implant of some kind? If so, then for what?  
  
"Like I said," The blue flyer interrupted Qui-Gon's thoughts, "No money, no parts, no deal. And no one else has a T-14 generator, I promise you that!"  
  
Qui-Gon forced the smallest of smiles, turned, and left.  
  
The Jedi went to consult his next move, and.........if what the junk dealer had said was true, and the young man was his slave, there was nothing he could do, he had not come here to free slaves.  
  
~*~  
  
A pair of blue-green eyes followed the Jedi as he left the yard.  
  
Maybe it wasn't him at all.........  
  
With his first initiative he reached out to the Force to see if it was true, but a burning pain filled his head before he could feel a thing. The pain was fast, hot and so strong it made his sink to his knees until the spasm had passed.  
  
He could feel the blood pulsing in his temples, this was only a minor one, had tried to move something try a mind trick, the pain could bring even the most resilient of species to scream from the pain. The horrid implant, he had had it for over 13 years, 13 long years he had not felt the Force.  
  
Pulling himself to his feet again on a hefty piece of machinery, Obi-Wan felt the pain subside somewhat, at lest enough to where he could get on with his work.  
  
There was nothing else to do, nothing else that could be done, only if the past could be changed.  
  
~*~  
  
A sand storm began to rise.  
  
"Do you have shelter?" The boy they had met a short while ago.  
  
"We'll head back to our ship." Qui-Gon answered him.  
  
"Is it far?"  
  
"It's on the outskirts." The girl answered him.  
  
"You'll never reach the outskirts in time! Sandstorms are very, very dangerous." He said with meaning. "Come on, I'll take you to my place."  
  
~*~  
  
In the small kitchen of the adobe hovel, Shmi Skywalker wiped her hands on a ruff towel and wondered why her sons had not come home let. A buzz in the other room calmed her and she passed through the arched door and say Anakin and three other people come into the small foyer.  
  
Anakin shook the dust from his hair and called, "Mom, Mom I'm home!  
  
"O! Diz iz cozi." Jar Jar complemented on stepping into their small house.  
  
"These are my friends Mom." Anakin introduced.  
  
"I'm Qui-Gon Jinn," The tall man introduced himself and his companions, while Anakin asked Padmé if she wanted to see the droid he was making and led her off my her wrist.  
  
"Anakin!" His mother called before he entered his small chamber, "Have you seen your brother?"  
  
"No, I think Watto might have him staying late." He said and continued into his room.  
  
"You have another son?" Qui-Gon asked curious.  
  
"Well.........yes I do. He'll be home soon." Shmi said and then very softly, as if trying to reassure herself added, "He'll be home soon........."  
  
~*~  
  
It was getting late, the suns had set and a chill wind had begun to blow from the east. Watto had flown home and left Obi-Wan to lock up.  
  
After straightening some baubles, perfectionist that he was, and started his sandy stretch home.  
  
Sealing the door as he walked out he turned and went down the sand of the street. His route to the slave quarter was a dark one, with the poorly lit route, and with his diminished use of the Force, he could not sense the henchmen in the sand that the gales blew everywhere.  
  
He felt a grip on his shoulders, as someone punched his abdomen hard enough to make his breath leave him. The hands slammed his shoulders against a wall, and he saw vivid flashes of light. Through the daze that the world had become, Obi-Wan made out the outline of someone coming toward him.  
  
"Amazing............what you can do when a Jedi's been cut off from his precious Force." A suavely smug voice said, it was recognized immediately, and through his haze Obi-Wan met the eyes of his worst enemy.  
  
~*~  
  
Shmi pulled back the cloth that served as a barricade against the sand storm and peered out the narrow slot that was a window. Qui-Gon, having noticed the look of worry that was on her face, went to her.  
  
"What is wrong?" He questioned her gently.  
  
Shim jumped a little, not expecting the Jedi's accost and schooled her features.  
  
"Nothing, its just............" She banished the immediate worry that came to her heart. "No, everything's alright." It was just the sand storm, she thought, that's why he was delayed.  
  
~*~  
  
Obi-Wan sucked his bleeding lip, he had never warranted such hatred from those men, but they just followed the orders of their chief.  
  
Watto had not been his first owner; Kel Dor was a crime lord whose pirates captured unsuspecting craft in Outer Rim regularly, bringing in dozens of hapless individuals who then were forced to toil for him until the day they died, or were sold to another. Obi-Wan had been 13 when he was a transport that had fallen to Kel Dor's minions.  
  
The former Jedi leaned his head against the duracrete wall, catching his breath.  
  
Dor, at first, was oblivious to the half-trained mind of a former Padawan apprentice, until he tried his first escapes. These attempts had not been successful, after the third, Dor had caught on and had his connection with the Force cut.  
  
It was a miracle that he survived the procedure, and the beating after it. Obi-Wan remembered after those two horrid hours he stumbled across the path of Shmi Skywalker and her small son Anakin, his adoptive family.........  
  
It had only been a slight beating, but still he kept one hand on the wall as he walked.  
  
~*~  
  
"Obi-Wan, what happened?" Shmi asked fervently as she saw the blood trickling out of his mouth when he arrived.  
  
"I'm alright," He tried to calm her.  
  
"You don't look alright, sit down." She instructed as they went into the small, shared room. Anakin who had been tinkering with some frivolous device saw him and spurted out his anxiety before any other commands were given.  
  
"Obi-Wan what happened?" He asked zealously rushing over.  
  
"It's nothing Ani, don't worry about me." He said trying not to alarm the boy. It was not the first time he had come home in such a condition, but he tried to keep Anakin from seeing him so, once or twice he had seen his adoptive brother with a few bruises and maybe a cut, but nothing more serious.  
  
Anakin responded by wrapping his arms around the older person's abdomen.  
  
"Why didn't you come home sooner, Mom was really worried." They younger said.  
  
Hiding his grimace of pain, Obi-Wan explained the sandstorm to him. Shmi however was not fooled and noticed the look of distress that had crossed his face. Sending Anakin into the other room she addressed Obi-Wan with firmness.  
  
"Obi-Wan let me see our side, take off your shirt."  
  
"Mother that's really not necessary-"  
  
"I said off, now." There would be no refusing her; Obi-Wan had the reputation of making light of his injuries.  
  
"Yes ma'am." He complied. Shmi saw red marks fading into a blue-black wrapping around his ribs; this frightened her now. She felt his side feeling to see if any of the bones had been broken, fortunately there wasn't any, and she sighed relief.  
  
"Haven't I told you to be more careful?" She asked as Obi-Wan slid his shirt back on over his head. Shmi never ceased to worry for him ever since she had found him beaten and near death several years ago. Maternal instinct had driven her to watch out for him, when he was nearly beaten to death another time she heard that Kel Dor was selling him, and she had begged Watto to take him, he would have died if he didn't.  
  
Obi-Wan to remember that time as well, he had been trying to escape from Kel Dor, but never succeeding. One night after having endured punishment he had passed out outside the slave quarters and when he woke up Shmi had been standing over him. When Watto had bought him, Shmi and her son had already more or less adopted him into their family. Over the years, they had become as close to each other as any blood related family.  
  
"Why didn't you stay at Watto's shop until the storm was over?" Shmi asked him.  
  
"They would have known that Watto was gone anyway, the storm just made them leave quicker." He replied, they both knew that if any slave tried to defend themselves in anyway they and their kin would live to regret it, and Obi-Wan would never bring Kel Dor's minions on Shmi or Anakin.  
  
"Don't worry about me," Obi-Wan said gripping Shmi's hands reassuringly, "Everything will be alright, I'm here aren't I?"  
  
"For tonight at lest Obi-Wan, but don't you dare to ever worry me like this again." She said, knowing that he would take these beatings in silence and do everything in his power to keep her from seeing everything that had happened, so not to bring the crime lord's subordinates on her and Anakin and also to keep Shmi from what he saw as unnecessary concern.  
  
~*~  
  
Qui-Gon saw that there was something troubling the boy. The Jedi Master went over to where Anakin sat, slumped in a small chair by the kitchen door.  
  
"What is wrong, Anakin?" He asked gently.  
  
"Nothing........." Anakin lied not looking up from the floor.  
  
"Are you sure?" Qui-Gon asked again, it didn't take a lifetime of Jedi training to see that the boy was troubled.  
  
"Well............it's just that............well," He didn't want to think that the truth was real, "Obi-Wan came home hurt again." Anakin had long figured out that his brother had been hiding his hurts, and he knew why he always tried to hide them from him and Shmi.  
  
"Your brother........." Qui-Gon ventured.  
  
"Uh-huh." Anakin answered nodding and began to swing his feet a little. "I was little when I met him, he was hurt really bad.........he didn't belong to Watto then."  
  
"He's your adoptive brother then?" Qui-Gon asked with edginess to his voice, Obi-Wan Kenobi? Was it him, the child that he had passed up as his padawan? Was this what happened to him? Had been doomed to be enslaved to a junk-dealer on his sandy planet?  
  
"Who did he belong too? How old was he?" The Jedi asked.  
  
Anakin's face became taunt as he strained to remember, "He belonged to some rich landlord, and I think his name was Kel Dor, he was really ruff with his slaves. When we were walking home one night, Mom found him. He was beaten really bad; he almost died. Mom sent me after Jacana, she knows a lot about medicine, Mom took him into the house, we looked out for him since then until Watto bought him and we had him stay here. I think he was thirteen when we first met him."  
  
"Anakin." His mother called, emerging from his room. "Get me a wet rag please," Anakin obeyed and ran back to her when he had fetched it. He looked up at her with large worried eyes; Shmi crouched down to his eye level and put her hands on his shoulders, "He's going to be alright Ani," She said in a warm, comforting tone. "Don't worry," She wanted to distract him from his worries, "The storm's over why don't you show your friends your pod racer?"  
  
"Alright." Anakin agreed half-heartedly, not wanting to wait and see how Obi-Wan was, but he went out back and found Jar Jar and Padmé, and Qui-Gon reluctantly followed.  
  
~*~  
  
Qui-Gon stood in the background as the boy chattered about the races to the Gungan and handmaiden, Anakin was put in better sprits as he delightedly answered the girl's and Jar Jar's questions.  
  
Qui-Gon stood by the wall of the small courtyard, pondering the answers he had gotten from the boy earlier. Qui-Gon wanted to believe that this was all coincidence, but his heart, which knew better, nagged at him.  
  
"You didn't come here to free slaves." Qui-Gon said to himself, he couldn't compromise his mission; weather feelings of guilt plagued him to do so or not.  
  
Anakin suddenly stopped showing Padmé the functions in the control pod and ran up the stairs to the door of his home where his mother and brother stood. Qui-Gon's eye followed him as he bolted up the steep steps and wrapped his arms around the young man at the top of the stairs.  
  
He lifted his head and released Anakin from his grasp; Qui-Gon then got his first look at the young man's bruised face, And finally gave into what his heart had been telling him since the moment he had saw him in the junk yard. He was aged twelve more years since the Jedi last saw him, he had grown tall and his hair that had been cropped short was now shaggy but still gingery-red color. His eyes were a blue-green sea color, but they had been aged more then any other part of him. Suffering, physical and emotional had marred them, and the light of dream had been blown out.  
  
The Obi-Wan Kenobi he had met so long ago had grown up and was enslaved on this barren planet.  
  
TBC  
  
I know, I finally got my lazy butt in gear and added the next chapter, please don't hate me for taking so long, another chapter will come I promise!!!!!! 


	3. Chapter Three

Here we are again, don't worry I will never, ever discontinue any of my stories!! Never!!!!  
  
But always remember that reviews help alot!  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Anakin came trotting down the stairs again.  
  
"Are you guys hungry?" He asked his friends when he came to the ground again; he didn't wait for an answer as he led the trio back into the house. Obi-Wan had left from the terrace outside and had gone to help Shmi. Anakin ushered them into a small dinning area in the kitchen. Anakin had them sit down and he began a small conversation. Padmé asked him why they had not ever tried to escape their harsh life Shmi answered her.  
  
"All slaves have a transmitter placed inside their bodies somewhere," She informed the handmaid as she circled the table pouring water into small cups.  
  
"I've been working on a scanner to try and locate mine." Anakin chirped in.  
  
"Any attempt to escape..." Shmi said letting Anakin finish.  
  
"And they'd blow you up! Boom!" The boy added thumping the table for added effusiveness.  
  
"How wude!" Jar Jar commented  
  
'Could that be what the spikes on his face are?' Qui-Gon wondered to himself.  
  
"I can't believe there's still slavery in the galaxy!" Padmé exclaimed "The Republic's antislavery laws-"  
  
"The Republic doesn't exist out here." Shmi said calmly taking her seat. "We must survive on our own-"  
  
Jar Jar's long tongue swiping up a bite from a bowl on the table cut off her words.  
  
"'Cuse me." He apologized as the Gungan gave a small belch.  
  
"Has anyone ever seen a pod race?" Anakin asked trying to steer the conversation on a more agreeable subject.  
  
"They have pod racing on Malastare," Qui-Gon said, "Very fast, very dangerous."  
  
"I'm the only human that can do it." Anakin informed proudly.  
  
"You must have Jedi reflexes if you race pods." The Jedi Master, catching Jar Jar's tongue between his fingers as the Gungan tried to pilfer another nut-like morsel from the table. "Don't do that again." He said softly.  
  
"Ehhh!" He agreed and Qui-Gon released his tongue.  
  
"You're a Jedi Knight, aren't you?" Anakin asked.  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"I saw your laser-sword, only Jedi carry that kind of weapon."  
  
"Perhaps I killed a Jedi and took it from him."  
  
"I don't think so," Anakin said with admiration, "No one can kill a Jedi!"  
  
"I wish that were so." Qui-Gon answered solemnly, his dark blue eyes holding a weathered look that only came from a lifetime of seeing many sufferings.  
  
"Have you come to free us?" The boy asked earnestly.  
  
"No, I'm afraid not." Qui-Gon answered, retelling himself again that guilt was not a reason to compromise a mission as important as this.  
  
"I think you have." Anakin said, "Why else would you be here?"  
  
Qui-Gon looked hard at the young slave before answering, "I can see there's no fooling you, Anakin." He answered, "We're on our way to Coruscant on a very important mission."  
  
"How did you end up here in the outer rim?"  
  
"Our ship was damaged and we're stranded here until we can repair it." Padmé answered him.  
  
"I can help! Me and Obi-Wan can fix anything!" He said with pride.  
  
"I believe you can," Qui-Gon said with a slight chuckle, "But first we must acquire the parts we need."  
  
"We havin' no mula to trade." Jar Jar said.  
  
"These junk-dealers must have a weakness of some kind." Padmé said with the tone of one working on a riddle.  
  
"Gambling." Shmi answered with disdain for the very word, "Everything here revolves on betting on those awful races."  
  
"I built a racer!" Anakin said as an idea began to form, "It's the fastest ever! You could enter my pod, and get Watto to let me pilot it for you!"  
  
"Anakin," His mother interrupted, "Watto won't let you."  
  
"Watto doesn't know I built it. You could get him to think it was yours" He pointed at Qui-Gon, "And get him to let me pilot it for you."  
  
"I don't want you to race neither dose Obi-Wan, it's awful, we die every time Watto makes you do it!" Shmi exclaimed.  
  
"But Mom, I love it!" He objected, "The prize money would more then pay for the parts they need." He added softly.  
  
"I'm sure Qui-Gon doesn't want to put your son in danger," The handmaiden beside her said in a reassuring tone, "We'll find some other way."  
  
"No," Shmi said letting out a heavy breath, "there is no other way, I may not like it but he can help you. He was meant to help you."  
  
Anakin's face lit up, and Qui-Gon began to wonder about two members of the small family.  
  
(I know, it's been long and in the movie anyway, but I had to get it out of the way! And it will be worth it, the reunion scene is next!)  
  
Obi-Wan stood outside looking over the night-cloaked sky. It was late and his family had long since gone to bed, on Shmi and Anakin's instance, their guests were staying too, not wanting them to venture back to the ship at night for the threat of bandits and Sand People.  
  
Putting his hands out against the wall that was a balustrade, Obi-Wan let himself relax from the strains of the day. He and Anakin had spent many nights in this spot staring at the sky; Anakin asking questions Obi-Wan answering them. Anakin telling his dreams about being a star pilot one-day and being the first one to see all the systems that shown as stars to them.  
  
Obi-Wan didn't need to turn, as he knew whom the steps belonged to that approached him from the door that led to the inside. His focus went to the ground, as the footsteps grew louder.  
  
"You remember me." He said quietly, he didn't turn the tone of his voice betrayed none of the emotions he felt, but the Jedi master could feel them swirling through his life force. The hollowness of dream lost, and bitterness for the one who had caused it.  
  
"Yes." There were no questions, no accusations, just the same emotions swirling about the younger man's frame, Qui-Gon was at a loss and gently he probed Obi-Wan's mind.  
  
There was nothing, just a slight hiss of pain.  
  
"Don't...." The former Jedi croaked, Qui-Gon complied, but confused at how the subtle use of the Force was hurting the other.  
  
Obi-Wan turned, and light was reflected of the spines from the implant, and Qui-Gon understood, even he could feel the suppressing powers of the mechanism, any use or touch of the Force would hurt, and possibly injure the young man in front of him.  
  
Swallow the accusations he wanted to lay into the Jedi for several years, and his pride, the slave abruptly stated, "You know Anakin is strong in the Force."  
  
"Yes," Qui-Gon answered, wondering why the quick change of subject, "Why..."  
  
"Can you help him? Can you take him away from here?" Obi-Wan asked an anxious voice.  
  
The sudden flare of urgency in the young man's tone stunned Qui-Gon. Why was he so frantic to get the boy off this planet?  
  
Obi-Wan, seeing the bewildered expression in the Jedi's face, backed off some and answered Qui-Gon in a calmer tone.  
  
"He's in danger." Was the quite, worried answer, "Kel Dor a crime lord here, he owned me once, he hates Jedi and anyone with knowledge of the Force. If he finds out how gifted Anakin is..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the ending was very clear.  
  
"I didn't come here to free slaves." The answer was calm and, but tentative.  
  
But no mater what the tone was, the younger man's eyes blazed suddenly, "I should of known better." He spat and started to walk back into the house, crossing by the Jedi.  
  
"Obi-Wan..." Qui-Gon said trying to stop the other, putting a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Don't bother with apologizes or excuses." The slave said pushing the hand off his shoulder, Qui-Gon could feel the intensity of the emotions behind Obi-Wan's words, they whipped around his life force with power of a hurricane. "It's too late for them, all I want now is my family safe." And he walked into the house leaving Qui-Gon in the lonely night air.  
  
Watto hovered silently while he listened to Anakin tell of the proposition from Qui-Gon. Just as the boy finished, a bell chimed overhead and the tall Jedi walked in.  
  
"The boy tells me you want to sponsor him in the race!" The flying merchant exclaimed in disbelief. "How can you do this?"  
  
Qui-Gon displayed the small holo projector of the Naboo ship, "My ship will be the entry fee."  
  
After the deal was negotiated Watto gave his summary, "So you supply the pod and the entry fee, I supply the boy, we split the winnings hmm, fifty- fifty I think."  
  
"If it's going to be fifty-fifty I suggest you front the entry fee." Qui- Gon reasoned, "If we win you keep all the winning's minus the cost to the parts, if we lose you keep my ship. Either way, you win." Qui-Gon's proposal was swaying the avaricious mind of the dubious Toydarian as he contemplated.  
  
"Deal!" He announced, and Anakin's smile began to light.  
  
"Obi-Wan!" Anakin called joyfully as he ran out to the back where his brother was repairing the rusty engines of a decrepit speeder, "I'm going be in the race tomorrow!"  
  
"That's wonderful Ani!" Obi-Wan said returning the boy's smile wiping grease off of his hands.  
  
"I know I'll do it this time, I know I will! I can't wait!" Anakin was beside himself with happiness, "You'll be there tomorrow with Mom, right Obi-Wan?"  
  
"I don't know Anakin," He answered slowly, "Watto might have me stay at the shop."  
  
"But you have to be there! It won't be the same, you have to come!" Anakin declared with disappointment, "I've got to win this one. I need you there."  
  
"Anakin..."  
  
"Promise me you'll be there."  
  
That face! Obi-Wan bit his lip trying to regain his resolve, and it wasn't working. Anakin looked at him strait in the face with his huge blue eyes looking like a sad little hungry kitten, begging for a sardine. Shim had become immune to this look over the years, but Obi-Wan still had a soft spot for this little look of his brother's.  
  
"Alright, I promise." He relented, claiming defeat he made a mental note to ask Shmi how to stand up to the Hungry Kitten Look.  
  
"Yippy!" Anakin yelled throwing his arms round Obi-Wan.  
  
There was a sudden pounding on the doorframe near them as Watto bellowed at them.  
  
"You two! Back to work!"  
  
The next day broke early and humid, but the racing crowd didn't care, it was the Bonta Eve race today!  
  
The pit hanger just outside the staring line was filled with the sounds of pre-race zeal. The whirl of hypospaners, the groan of overhead cranes lifting pod engines, the fervent tittering of pit droids, and of course the desperate prayers, low tenored bribes, vociferous boasts of the race contestants.  
  
The gentle hum of Watto's wings was sharp contrast to the background noise of the repair crews as he talked warningly to the Jedi beside him.  
  
"I'm warning you, no funny business." Watto said.  
  
"You don't think Anakin can win?" The Jedi asked inertly.  
  
"Don't get me wrong, I have great faith in the boy, he's a credit to your race." Watto made a gesture to the left, "But Sebulba is going to win I think I'm betting heavily on Sebulba."  
  
An idea sudden idea formed in the Jedi Master's mind, "I'll take that bet." He said with feigned voice of a gambler.  
  
"You'll what?" Watto asked.  
  
"I'll wager my racing pod against," He pretended to think, "The boy and his family."  
  
"No pod is worth three slaves! Not by a long shot!" Watto informed him with the air of one who has to inform someone of something perfectly obvious.  
  
"The boy then." Qui-Gon said, but not with deliberation, maybe he could find some method freeing the other members of Anakin's family later.  
  
"Well, hmm...we'll let fate decide." The dealer said, unable and unwilling to make a choice between his three slaves, he reached into the pouch at his side. "I just happen to have a chance cube here." He said with a feebly attempt at sounding innocent. "Blue it's the boy, red...his brother."  
  
With that, and not giving the Jedi time to take in this new proposal, Watto threw the cube over the sand at Qui-Gon's feet.  
  
TBC  
  
I know I'm evil!!! But I couldn't help myself!! But the next chapie will come don't worry, and don't have a heart attack either!! 


	4. Chapter 4

Peeks out nervously from behind rock Hi guys! It's been well... forever... Nervous chuckle – ducks sharp objects thrown Ok, ok, ok, ok here's another chapter!

Chapter Three

"_Blue the boy, red... his brother..."_

Qui-Gon watched the same die tumble over the ground, how could the fates have left him with this decision! The cube began to slow on the sandy ground, pivoting between the red and blue faces. Self-reproach began to shred his usual cool reasoning, how could he let himself leave the young man here to be beaten and possibly be murdered one day? The die was coming to its last revolutions...

"_Can you help him? Can you take him away from here?"_ A sudden familiar voice rang in his head for an unknown reason... Obi-Wan wanted Anakin off this planet...

With a hidden gesture the cube turned over once more before stopping, turning and landing on a blue face.

Watto glowered at the Jedi, "You won the small toss outlander, but you won't win the race so it makes little difference!" he snarled at Qui-Gon and flew off in a huff.

Anakin, Shmi and friends were arriving with R2 and 3PO who were towing Anakin's racer. Anakin surveyed the room with a long face.

"Mom, where's Obi-Wan?" He asked Shmi. His brother had not been at their house when Anakin woke up that morning, Shmi told him that he had some errands to run for Watto before the race.

"He'll be here Ani," Shmi comforted her son, "He promised you, didn't he?"

Anakin smiled, Obi-Wan always kept his promises. Shmi on the other hand looked worried, Her foster son indeed was always true to his word, unless some force delayed him that was outside of his control.

Fortunately Shmi worries where disappointed for that day; Obi-Wan was in the pit hanger waiting until when Anakin was on the track sitting his racer. He saw Qui-Gon talking to his foster brother when he had finished he went to Anakin's side.

"Where have you been Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked.

"I'm sorry Ani, Watto's errands took more time then I thought." The little white lie seemed to apse the boy.

"Are you ready?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yeah." Anakin said seriously, but not with out an off-handed flippancy that he was noted for. "I'm going win this time, I know it."

"I do too." The older said before giving him a hug and heading off the track, joining Anakin's friend Kitster on the ground by the track.

The light shown, the gong rang and the race began.

TBC

Stuck-can't think of anything more right now.

Screams and hides under rock again

I'll be back, I'll be back, I'll be back, I'll be back!


End file.
